ASU kicker Zane Gonzalez breaks NCAA field goal record
Oct 8, 2016, 10:39 PM | Updated: Oct 9, 2016, 12:28 am
Arizona State's Zane Gonzalez connects for a field goal from the hold of Matt Haack (26) during the second half of an NCAA college football game against UCLA on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2016, in Tempe, Ariz. Gonzalez had three field goals, and set the NCAA mark with 89 in his career, as Arizona State defeated UCLA 23-20. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
TEMPE, Ariz. — Arizona State kicker Zane Gonzalez broke the NCAA record for field goals in a career with his 89th successful attempt and third of the game, a 46-yard attempt in the third quarter of ASU’s game against UCLA on Saturday at Sun Devil Stadium.
Gonzalez broke Dustin Hopkins’ mark of 88, set at Florida State from 2009-2012. Gonzalez’s older brother, Zach, played soccer with Hopkins in Texas and Gonzalez said he watched Hopkins play while growing up.
To that point in the game, the Sun Devils kicker had made 16 of 17 attempts this season (his lone miss came from 53 yards at Texas San Antonio). He has three field goals of 50-plus yards this season (54, 54 and 53). Entering this weekend, Auburn junior Daniel Carlson was the only other kicker in the nation who had made more than one this season. Carlson had two.
“It would definitely mean something to get the NCAA record,” Gonzalez said in an interview this week. “It would give me a legacy to leave at ASU, doing something nobody else has done.”
Gonzalez has an excellent chance of becoming the school’s second Lou Groza Award winner, presented to the nation’s best kicker. Thomas Weber was ASU’s other winner in 2007. If Gonzalez joins him, ASU would be just the fourth program with at least two Groza awards, joining Florida St. (4), Tulane (2) and UCLA (2).
Gonzalez already broke the school (Luis Zendejas, 81) and Pac-12 (Kai Forbath, UCLA, 85) records for field goals in a career. He will likely break Hopkins’ NCAA career points record by a kicker (466) and he has a chance to break the FBS career scoring record for all positions (530), set by Navy quarterback Keenan Reynolds (2012-15).
Gonzalez also tied ASU’s record for consecutive games scoring a point (45 with Luis Zendejas) on Saturday.
“Guys like Zane don’t come along too often,” coach Todd Graham said. “He is the best I have ever coached.”
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NCAA career field goals made
1. Zane Gonzalez, ASU (2013-16) 89
1. Dustin Hopkins, Florida State (2009-12) 88
3. Billy Bennett, Georgia (2000-03) 87
4. Kai Forbath, UCLA (2007-10) 85
5. Leigh Tiffin, Alabama (2006-09) 83
Note: UCLA’s John Lee also made 85 field goals, but the NCAA did not recognize bowl game stats when he played (1982-85).
NCAA career points by kicker
1. Dustin Hopkins, Florida State (2009-12) 466
2. Zane Gonzalez, ASU (2013-16) 458
3. Aaron Jones, Baylor (2010-13) 451
3. Jaden Oberkrom, TCU (2012-15) 451
5. Mike Hunnicutt, Oklahoma (2011-14) 444
NCAA career points, all positions
1. Keenan Reynolds, Navy (2012-2015) 528
2. Kenneth Dixon, Louisiana Tech (2012-2015) 522
3. Montee Ball, Wisconsin, (2009-2012) 498
4. Travis Prentice, Miami, Ohio (1996-1999) 468
5. Dustin Hopkins, Florida State (2009-2012) 466
6. Zane Gonzalez, Arizona State (2013-2016) 458
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